good knife for gutting deer and chickens?

[VA Bowbender]

Originally posted by jonesy:
dont buy stainless knifes period.jonesy

That is a ridiculous blanket statement.  Henkel, Wursthoff and Forstner/Victornox are some of the finest knives in the world and they are all stainless steel.  They are used by the best chefs and butchers in the world, including Emeril and Wolfgang Puck.
Oh, and by the way I also speak from 35+ years of experience as a butcher.  With knives, like most things you get what you pay for.

That Puma that you have don't ever lose it, that's a great knife too.

 

[Arrow46]

You might want to order a Randall #26.  It is a great knife. If you need an address for Randall or a Randall dealer PM me.
Good luck,
Kevin

[Seeking Trad Deer]

Buy the best...get a Dozier   .  How's that for a blanket statement      

The Cabellas Alaska Guide is made by buck and is S30V.

Knives of Alaska changes their steels alot without telling you except for their D-2 models.  When I got the Jager I found out they switched to 1095 or something like that even thought their literature said ATS-34.  I found an older one in a dealer that I think is ATS-34 which I what I wanted at the time.

One thing is for sure...you will never have enough knives   :D

[Seeking Trad Deer]

I have a KS-3 on order from Bob Dozier.

 http://www.dozierknives.com/

[Curveman]

Any knife Tippit makes would be best. Since I don't have one I settled for a Helle Veiderman? Something like that!  

[curlis]

I just bought a Randy Lee. What a knife!

[jonesy]

Robert, wolfgang and Emeril dont sharpen there own knifes plus they have enough money to buy the best steele money can buy What realy makes the blade live up to all of its potential is the temper, or hardening and toughening process that the blade is subjected too.Stainless steels do not give reliable color readings due to oxide formation at lower temp levels wich enables the knifemaker to read the hardness level of the steele. The best steel for knifes are damascus and straight carbon steel such as 1040,1060,1095 the only draw back is this steel tarnishes and will rust if not properly cared for, but i for one will sacrifice a little fashion for inconvenience. HEY CAN I GET ONE OF THOSE ROAST'S? Jonesy

[jlbpa]

Yes, I don't want to just throw money at a problem.  I was able to fumble through processing a chicken with 2 knives.  A kitchen boning knife which I sharpened but turns out not well enough so I had to turn to my benchmade folding knife to cut around the butthole and slit open the belly.  But when trying to reach in and slice the esophogus the bench made handle was too bulky so I had to hack my way through the esophogus with the kitchen knife.  That's when it occurred to me that I need one good knife.  The Doug Cambell's caper and the helle polar both look functional.  Something with a sharp pointed tip is needed for cutting around chicken buttholes.  I'm not sure the buck knife was designed for a sharp pointed tip.

[geno]

I cook better than both those guys. I just wish I got paid like them.. Mike brow was right. All the big plants use a fillet type knife. Tyson, Butterball, Cargill. ect....They are probably stainlees though..I like high carbon...Is that Lamb??

[Slasher]

I can't say whats best... However, whitetails aren't big critters... and  going from the field to the table... I  think the knife really matters, cause at each step, I find that my needs vary so much... I don't know of a best one (but best ones)overall, but here's my way of doing it... They to each knife is being SHARP!!!

I've field dressed deer with everything from a victronix swiss army key chain knife- to using a K-Bar.   (these are in the pack/pocket knives)
 
My favorite is an old boker  (high carbon) gentlemans 2 blade  knife... That would hold an edge!!!  made th job go easy (but I lost it, time to replace it)
 

However butchering/quartering and deboning; is different work altogether... for that I use a couple of cheap boning knives   (bought at a dollar store- these are usually at camp/truck where I hang the deer and proceed to to render into pieces managable enough to put on ice in the cooler)  to get my deer into parts and then go to the Zwilling J.A Henckels kitchen knives  (At home in the kitchen- where the paper, tape, foil, and meat grinder are...)  to acually butcher the parts into cuts of meat...

I think whatever you use, the key is a sharp blade! What system you use it is your choice! I personally like arkansas stones   (endin with a black stone)  but  if'n you don't know how to use em there's so many systems that work as well or better... from gatco's to paper wheels.... tormek, Lansky...etc

I think for the most part its easier to learn and understand how to sharpen a knife and *how* make a knife sharp... doesn't matter what knife you buy, at some point you need to be able to sharpen it...

here's a good website with tons of info with various systems and too much info...   Sharpening knives- scroll down and view the chapters...  

Then, you'll probably be very happy with your buck knife....